NORTH SHORE HOSPITAL News
Progress to make you smile
Dental clinics are springing up left, right and centre as part of Waitemata DHB’s $13 million, three-year project to modernise oral health facilities.
Last month, two new community clinics were opened – a two-chair clinic at Belmont Intermediate School and a three-chair clinic at Northcross Intermediate School.
Both clinics are close to the road and are easy for parents to access. “This clinic will make a difference to dental care along this whole peninsula,” says Rowena Bullock, a member of Belmont Intermediate School’s Board of Trustees. “We need parents to see that it’s here, free and fabulous.”
Construction of another two clinics at Silverdale School and Forrest Hill Primary also started in November (they’ll open early next year) and, in the same month, two transportable dental units (TDUs) were completed.
Dental manager Belinda Tafua says there are now five TDUs. “We are expecting two more in February and by the end of the project we will have 15,” she says.
By February there will be 23 concrete parking pads for the units at schools around the district.
Driveable diagnostic vans are also on the way with the first of seven ready to start around July next year.
Waitemata DHB chief executive Dr Dale Bramley says the clinics are part of the DHB’s strategy to expand its services and facilities to meet the community’s needs.
“By supporting high-quality oral health services for young people, we are setting them up for good oral health for life.”
Waitemata leads the way for the environment
North Shore Hospital has become the first hospital in New Zealand to win Bronze Enviro-Mark accreditation – underlining Waitemata DHB’s commitment to sustainability.
And Waitakere Hospital became the second, gaining accreditation late last month.
Enviro-Mark is an internationally recognised system that helps organisations to reduce their environmental risks and improve their environmental performance.
To get Bronze-level certification, our hospitals were externally audited to show they comply with 12 pieces of environmental, health and safety legislation.
“It was quite a long process to get that first audit of North Shore Hospital’s systems – it took around three months,” says sustainability officer Emma Bowyer-Warner. “But it was definitely worth all the hard work.”
The award shows the people working inside our hospitals pay just as much attention to caring for our environment at work as they are at home, Emma says.
Chief executive Dr Dale Bramley says it’s a real mark of pride that Waitemata DHB is leading the way for DHBs. “It shows that our processes are robust, that we’re paying attention and we’re all making an effort for the environment we work in.”
On target
Waitemata DHB is making great progress on meeting the Government’s health targets, scoring at or close to the top in several areas for the first quarter of 2011-12.
• Cancer Care: At 100% we meet the target and rank first equal nationally, alongside both other metro-Auckland DHBs.
• Smoking cessation: At 96% we beat the target and rank fifth nationally – ahead of both other metro-Auckland DHBs.
• Elective Surgery: At 100% we meet the target and rank 14th nationally, behind both other metro-Auckland DHBs.
Nurses step up to the challenge
Orthopaedic outpatients at North Shore Hospital are hot-footing it out of the waiting room, thanks to an innovative new nurse-led clinic.
The orthopaedic nurse clinic is the brainchild of Sue Thornton, who three years ago was looking for a project that would help her progress from level three to level four nursing.
Cutting waiting times for patients who need straightforward nursing attention was that project.
Sue began investigating the possibility of a nurse clinic.
The patients Sue targeted are those who are healing just as expected after their operation and have no complications. But 10 to 14 days later they need their casts taken off, their stitches removed and a new lightweight cast applied.
These are all tasks that very experienced orthopaedic nurses can do. That can lighten the consultants’ workload, and ensure patients spend less time in the waiting room.
“We can have these patients done even before the consultant starts his clinic,” says Sue.
The clinic began operating last month. Already, patients are expressing approval.
“Patients say they like that nursing one-on-one time, especially having the chance to discuss the smaller practicalities of cast care,” says Marilyn Catlow, charge nurse manager of outpatients.
And the four nurses who run the clinic are also enjoying the challenge, she says.
Orthopaedic consultant Bill Farrington says orthopaedics, like all hospital specialities, has been looking at how to improve its service for patients. ”We are hoping this initiative will improve our efficiency, reduce the amount of time patients are kept waiting in out-patients and to optimise our nursing staff’s skills and expertise.”
Dedicated dentists
